ADDRESSING THE CROWD. Mayor Oscar Moreno addresses city hall employees during their first flagaising rites since the five-day standoff that ended last week. (PHOTO BY NITZ ARANCON)
By Nitz Arancon
Correspondent
COUNCILOR Zaldy Ocon yesterday claimed illegal miners took advantage of the five-day standoff at city hall last week, and his removal as chairman of the city council’s environment committee.
Ocon said this even as he lashed out at the city council over its decision to replace him as environment committee chairman during its session two Mondays ago.
Ocon asked the city council to reconsider its decision but Councilor Ramon Tabor, who presided over the meeting, ruled to divide the house after Councilor Adrian Barba objected.
Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas and Councilor Lourdes Darimbang, two officials who were directly involved in last week’s standoff at city hall, were absent.
The city council voted, 6-4, against the motion for reconsideration.
Those who voted in favor were Councilors Ocon, Teodulfo Lao Jr., Enrico Salcedo, and Roger Abaday.
Voting against the motion were councilors Barba, Alexander Dacer, Leon Gan, Dante Pajo, Annie Daba, and Edna Dahino.
Ocon said he would go to court, and question the city council’s decision, saying it was made behind his back, and without an investigation.
He said he has received information that illegal mining operations resumed last week, and that two backhoes were immediately brought to mining sites in the hinterlands as soon as he was replaced as chairman by Councilor Dometilo Acenas Jr..
Ocon said among the first things that the city council did during the city hall standoff was to replace him as committee chairman.
He told reporters: “Nakita man ninyo sa dihang ako pa ang chairman sa committee on environment, atong gipa-undang ang tanang illegal mining sa kabukiran nga nagesulta sa pagtin-aw sa suba sa Iponan.”
Ocon said he feared the return of pre-typhoon Sendong-like illegal mining operations in the city that were allegedly interlinked with the business and other interests of some politicians and other influential people.
Ocon threatened to bring the city council to court over its decision to replace him with Councilor Acenas at a time when he was absent. He said he would likely ask for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the city council.
The city council’s decision came as a response to Councilor Barba’s special report about Ocon’s failure to cooperate with environment officials in Gingoog City who started an investigation about an alleged attempt to move protected hardwood from Surigao del Sur to Cagayan de Oro in Aug. 28.
Authorities seized alleged illegal lumber from Ocon’s pickup truck after the vehicle figured in a road accident.
Barba said Ocon did not show up during the investigation in Gingoog despite repeated notices.
He said Ocon’s move to snub the investigation of the environment and natural resources office in Gingoog smeared the city council, and therefore, he had to be removed as environment committee chairman.
Ocon, for his part, maintained his innocence, saying he did not have logging interests, and what authorities seized in Gingoog were finished wood products like doors that he bought for his unfinished house here.
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
